Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Miscellaneous/2006 September 27

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[edit] America's Cup

What are the names of all Australian boats who have challenged for the America's cup????

See our article at America's Cup. — Lomn 03:37, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Pinjarra, Western Australia.

I states in your article that the accepted spelling was "Pinjarrah", however now it is spelt "Pinjarra". Do you know when, why and how this spelling change took place?

Okay dude, third paragraph of the article: "The name was often shown spelt "Pinjarrup" on early maps, while the accepted spelling for many years was "Pinjarrah". There are conflicting theories regarding the meaning of this Aboriginal word and is usually said to mean "place of a swamp", but is more likely named after the Pindjarup tribe, the Aboriginal people that frequented the area." --AstoVidatu 02:50, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
This repeats what the questioner wrote, namely that our article states that the accepted spelling was "Pinjarrah". It does not answer the question: When, how and why was the spelling changed to "Pinjarra"?  --LambiamTalk 09:44, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Famous people on Wikipedia

Let's say there was a Wikipedia user who was famous; famous enough to warrant his own Wikipedia page. Would that user be allowed to add things to his article without verifying them from an independant source? And has this ever happened?

'Famous' Wikipedians happen quite a lot: see Wikipedia:Wikipedians with articles and Category:Notable Wikipedians. Any additions they make still have to be verified, because it's not always possible to prove that the user is actually the same person (and obviously, people are strongly biased about themselves!). See Wikipedia:Autobiography for more on this. Ziggurat 03:03, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
  • Just because the Wikipedian is famous doesn't exempt them from the verifiability policy. All info needs to be verifiable from a reliable source. Depending on the type of info, the person themselves may not be the most reliable source to begin with. Wikipedia only reports already published information. If the info on that celeb wasn't published somewhere, it's not suitable for inclusion yet, although it would be easy for them to include in interviews they do. - Mgm|(talk) 07:45, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] places on earth

how to use wikipedia to locate a place on earth?

You probably wouldn't; you'd use Google Earth instead. --Richardrj talk email 05:14, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
It depends on what kind of data you have. Are you talking about a name, a vague description, a picture, a clip, coordinates, an IP address?---Sluzzelin 05:45, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
If you know the name of the place, just type it into the search box at the top left of this page and click Go.--Shantavira 08:14, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] cellulites

how glucosamine contributes in removing or reducing cellulites?--82.15.15.128

Did you read glucosamine? It doesn't. --Shantavira 08:19, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] JOBs for fresh undergraduates in Aus or UK?

Want to know about are there jobs opportunities available for fresh undergraduates (without previous experience) in Australia or UK? Specially for Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering vacancies..!! Also for Environmental, Food & Bio Process Engineering minors....

Aren't there any VISA prolems for Asians.... UG from SL

Finding work in the UK is a difficult business if you haven't got a visa that allows you to work. The employer has to be able to demonstrate to the immigration authorities that there is no British citizen able to do the job, before they are allowed to take you on. In practice this is a pretty onerous requirement. And my impression is that there are thousands of people doing engineering courses in the UK, so you may be up against some pretty stiff competition. However, if you're determined, you might be able to find a way. Good luck. --Richardrj talk email 10:21, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

You would be well advised to consider Scotland as your first UK choice. For some reason Scots graduates and other young professionals see England's streets as being paved with gold, only to find that whilst salaries might be higher there, so are house prices and the cost of living. So Scotland constantly seems to have a shortage of good graduates and other skilled young people. And Scotland, having only one tenth of the UK population but one third of the UK landmass is a much more spread out society with far better scenery etc. And Scotland can lay claim to having a very well established Engineering and Oil-based industrial economy that might serve your ambitions well. And the girls are far better looking too. Me? I am English but have lived here 34 years and wouldn't dream of living anywhere else on Earth, except perhaps San Diego in the US. Have a look at the Scottish Executive homepage and you may find some useful tips there. Best of luck.


BUT also bare in mind that you will now also be competiting with graduates from the extended European Union - people who don't require a workpermit. --Charlesknight 13:36, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
You would probably have an easier time migrating to Australia. The process is different there. You do not need to find a job first, which means that you do not need to find an employer who can demonstrate that they can't find an Australian able to do the job. Instead, you go through the immigration process and, once you are admitted, you look for work. The decision whether to admit a migrant is based on a point system, and you generally must have a skill sought by Australia's immigration authorities. According to this document, both chemical and mechanical engineers are skilled workers suitable for admission to Australia under its skilled worker program. That suggests that jobs are available in these areas, though in both cases, the skills are not listed as skills in shortage in Sydney or a couple of nearby cities in the largest Australian state, New South Wales. My guess is that your best bet for employment, if you are admitted to Australia, might be in the mining sector. You might have to locate in a fairly remote part of Australia. Australians may be less willing to live away from the major cities, and so you might not face too much competition for such a job. Here is the home page of Australia's immigration service [1]. Marco polo 14:34, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
By SL do you mean Sri Lanka? As a member of the Commonwealth, Sri Lankans may be eligible for a working holiday visa in the United Kingdom which allows you certain restricted working privileges. However, the quota of visas for Sri Lanka has been filled for the year I believe (see the British High Commission website). --Canley 15:13, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Good Samaritan Laws

I am trying to find out how the GSL's were developed. What caused us to develop these laws (a particular case study, perhaps?) and where was the first one enacted? I know the term comes from the Bible, but I need the legal origin of the Good Samaritan Laws. Thanks for any help. `````

The public and legislators were outraged by stories of opportunistic people who were, say, in a car wreck, were pulled out of a burning car by passers by, or were revived by CPR after drowning, then sued the Good Samaritans because they had a neck or back injury, bringing in medical experts to testify that the heplful person caused a sore back or a neck injury which prevents the injured person from working, and will require a lifetime of therapy, so they take the home and bank account of the rescure. As a result of such stories, you could expect people to refuse to become involved when they see someone trapped in a burning car or drowning. Good Samaritan laws sometimes say that you are absolved from lawsuits regarding unjuries caused by performing CPR only if you have current certification in CPR. They are not a license, say, for a passerby to perform kitchen table exploratory surgery on someone who is injured, or to attempt an appendectomey on someone with a tummy ache if they are not medically trained, or to perform a tracheotomy on a choking person because they saw one done on TV. But they often give a trained medical person (Doctor, nurse, emergency medical technician) immunity from lawsuits if they do first aid on an accident victim. The GSLs are a reaction to a few unbelievably greedy and ungrateful people and their ambulance chasing lawyers. But the term is amazingly politically incorrect, an assumption that most Samaritans are bad, the equivalent of distinguishing "The Good Jew" or the "Rightious Gentile" or the "Non-alcoholic Irishman." or the "Non-child molesting Catholic Priest." Samaritans practice an alternative form of Judaism dating back to before the Babylonian exile.Edison 15:04, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
The Sullivan Group has a special article (pdf file!) on this topic. Here's the HTML-version.---Sluzzelin 15:10, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
 :-o What a bunch of scumbags! How could they?! It's disgusting. And they found lawyers that were willing to help out?! Man… In what country was this possible? I imagine the courts would throw them out with a bang and tell them a word or two about how you are supposed to interact with other people. —Bromskloss 12:47, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the info--it answered most of my question. Can anyone tell me which state was first in implementing these laws and was Congress involved at all in giving the states the power to make these laws....Tracy

The first New York Times mention I found searching "Good Samaritan Law" was July 21, 1965, pg. 39: "State to allow addicts dosages; Governor signs a law for maintenance shots in research programs; 'Good Samaritan' law; Nurses given immunity in accident case suits-3 Rockefeller vetos," by John Sibley. It said the new law would "give immunity to registered and practical nurses who give emergency treatment to accident victims." It said a similar law had been passed the year before for physicians, but I did not find a story on that. They could now be sued in personal injury and death cases only when it can be proved they were guilty of "gross negligence." A different GSL was passed in California which reimbursed citizens who "got hurt while attempting to prevent crime." NY Times, July 22, 1965, pg. 63, "Good Samaritan law signed." A NY Times article March 25, 1984, pg CN26, "Strengthening Samaritan Laws," said Connecticut had a Samaritan law on the books since 1963. Edison 15:27, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Found "Jersey 'Samaritan' act signed," NY Times, April 14, 1963, pg31. It protected physicians and nurses who help at accidents.Edison 15:40, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Iago

Is there any textual evidence to support that Iago is a psychopath? 213.122.11.68 16:42, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Welcome to the Wikipedia Reference Desk. Your question appears to be a homework question. I apologize if this is a misevaluation, but it is our policy here to not do people's homework for them, but to merely aid them in doing it themselves. Letting someone else do your homework does not help you learn how to solve such problems. Please attempt to solve the problem yourself first. If you need help with a specific part of your homework, feel free to tell us where you are stuck and ask for help. If you need help grasping the concept of a problem, by all means let us know. Thank you. Thank you. Rockpocket 16:55, 27 September 2006 (UTC)


If this is a question asked by a teacher, I would politely suggest to them that mixing Shakespearean literature and modern day psychopathology will contribute more confusion to a student's brain than can be justified by any possible upside.
That said, teachers do not like to be told this sort of thing. So do a little reading about what the primary 'symptoms' of psychopathy are (usually lack of remorse, icy cold manipulation of other people, and a chronic history of violence), and ask yourself whether Iago fits the bill. I would also recommend looking for any redeeming characteristics of Iago -- does he ever say or do anything that is kindly and humane? Or at least wise? Psychopaths usually commit their atrocities without much wisdom -- i.e. they don't go to great lengths to avoid capture.
Ultimately though, villians tend to be completely unrealistic caricatures of the 'bad human being', whose motives, upon close examination, could and would never arise in an actual human being. Being fairly familar with Shakespeare, I would view any of his characters as mere plot devices. That's right, I take a pretty dim view of The Bard's sense of realism. Anyway, it's rather fruitless to apply the DSM-IV to a cog in a machine designed to line Mr. Shakespeare's pockets. Chris 21:05, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Companies based in Africa.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am looking for a list of companies based in the different countries in Africa.

I would be grateful if anyone could let me know how I would source such a list.

Thanking you in advance.

. . ... how many countries are there in Africa? How many companies are there going to be based in each and every one of them? I don't mean to be rude, but your request is certainly beyond the scope of this desk to try to put such a list together. Your best bet would probably be to contact the authorities in a selection of countries. You could also make life a lot easier by narrowing down the companies to specific fields, or economic sectors. --Mnemeson 22:01, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Mnem, he's not asking us to make such a list, but to point him to one. Economy of Africa might help. DirkvdM 06:09, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Wow, that's a ridiculous goal, and one that's virtually impossible. This is probably harder than producing a list of all the persons living in the different countries of Africa. It's not possible to easily produce a list of all the companies in one city in the most developed countries; I can't see it being even close to feasible for an entire continent, particularly one with a reputation for poor record-keeping and high corruption.
That being said, you can make a list of many of the larger ones by looking at the stock exchanges. We have an article on the African Stock Exchanges Association that lists a number of more prominent African stock exchanges; from there, you can find more information, for instance our page listing the Companies traded on the JSE (Johnannesburg Stock Exchange, the largest in the continent). Even still, for many of the other stock exchanges, you'll need to Google their official site -- and you're still going to only be listing a very few of the largest companies in each country. --ByeByeBaby 06:18, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Juggling Equipment

I am interesting in learning to juggle well, but all I have to juggle are baseballs. Currently, I can juggle 3 or 4 balls, and cannot do pins, but would like to. Where can I buy better balls for juggling, as well as pins, and possibly other stuff if it looks interesting? --216.164.197.222 21:34, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

I always used to buy stuff from the Flying Apparatus Catalog, which had some association with Klutz Press. That was actually where a lot of the jugglers I knew bought stuff. But amazingly, I can't find a website for them. Maybe they're defunct, or maybe they just don't have a website. A Google search will turn up some phone numbers and mailing addresses, though. (There are, of course, plenty of places to get juggling equipment; this is just the one I know about.) --Allen 21:47, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
I second the above, Klutz used to be the one to go to for juggling equipment. Since I got all my stuff I haven't really had a need to buy more though and they've stopped sending me catalogs after I moved years ago. From the looks of their web site, they've gotten away from the juggling and now concentrate on kids games and such. Dismas|(talk) 22:09, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Since Klutz no longer sells juggling equipment, where else could I get it? I don't know of any place that sells this kind of thing. --216.164.197.222 22:41, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Try a Google search on "juggling pins". That turns up some options, like Dube and Juggling Store. Can't vouch for them, though. --Allen 23:14, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

  • Some online magic stores also sell juggling equipment. - Mgm|(talk) 08:12, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Tanning bed masturbation

If a man jacked off in a tanning bed could a girl who got in the tanning bed next get pregnant? They clean the beds with lucasol, and if you got it on the top of the tanning bed could it drip into the vagina and get some one pregnant, Please help me I am worried.

Since things do not drip upwards - no. --Charlesknight 21:56, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

What if the guy had blown his wad up onto the 'ceiling' of the bed? Hmmmm. Dunno, I guess it could be *possible*... --Kurt Shaped Box 22:03, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit conflict] Well, if both people were lying face up, it might be possible, but I think chances would be astronomically small. The semen would have to be in just the right spot, not drip down for a while, get missed by the person cleaning the tanning bed (and how would you miss that?)... and then finally, semen deposited outside the vagina rarely results in pregnancy (though I can't find good details on this on Wikipedia). And then of course the woman would have to be at the right time in her menstrual cycle. --Allen 22:08, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
I can't help but wonder whether the OP is a guy who jerked off whilst using a sunbed, or a girl who just had some spunk drip down onto her from the lid of a sunbed... --Kurt Shaped Box 22:12, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Pregnancy is highly unlikely considering that sperm cannot survive for very long in the open, not to mention under intense UV rays. Jamesino 22:29, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

a) men do not go to tanning booths
b) men if they did go, would not 'jack off' there
c) I assume the beds are wiped between customers.
d) How could semen levitate itself it a womans vagina from the bed
e) The prospect of pregnancy even from direct insemeination is quite low

So, in conclusion, I would say the probability is the same as winning the lottery: almost zero!--Light current 22:39, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

I sometimes use tanning beds. I've never 'jacked off' when I'm in there though. --Kurt Shaped Box 22:44, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
I beleive they charge you extra for that privilige! --Light current 22:47, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
I have been tempted to ask the cute, blonde Slovakian chick who works at the desk if she does 'extras' and would like to join me on the bed. Funnily enough, there is actually a brothel upstairs in the same building... --Kurt Shaped Box 22:49, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
So, did she tan your hide after wards?--Light current 22:52, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
I wish! ;) --Kurt Shaped Box 00:53, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

Tanning beds are rather small. Hezbollah 00:41, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

Semen does not remain in a state that allows dripping for a very long time (usually less than a minute). Any residue remaining after a few minutes would be crusted on.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  01:49, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Is this your own original research, or do you have a ref? 8-)
Reckon that I could get a research grant for this? ;) --Kurt Shaped Box 01:56, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Probably not! The granting body would probably conclude that you were just a wanker! 8-)--Light current 02:02, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
It's not such a far-fetched idea. A few years ago, I remember that someone got a research grant from the UK government to investigate whether items of food, when dropped on the ground contained more bacteria than they had before they were dropped on the ground. I forget the figure - but it sounded stupidly high and quite a few people in the media were spouting off about it... --Kurt Shaped Box 02:07, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
The question reminds me of one of Tom Waits' intros on Big Time: "A lot of people come up to me and they say, 'Tom, is it possible for a woman to get pregnant without intercourse?' And eh my answer is always the same. I say, 'Well, listen. We’re gonna have to go all the way back to the Civil War.' Apparently, a stray bullet actually pierced the testicle of a Union soldier, and then lodged itself in the ovaries of an eighteen year old girl, who was actually a hundred feet from him at the time. Well, the baby was fine." It seems to be a quite popular myth attempting to explain the etymology of the term 'son of a gun'---Sluzzelin 06:57, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
  • Call me crazy, but If I had shot a wad in such a public place, I'd be cleaning up before the cleaning ladies came in... - Mgm|(talk) 08:09, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

Men wouldn't go to or masturbate in a tanning booth? I find that odd, I'm a man who masturbates in tanning booths. Though they always clean the booths in between customers. Even if they were to forget, sperm doesn't live for very long. You'd really only have to worry if it was quite direct. I remember one time when I was in high school I had been masturbating in class(as I can do it without using my hands, or being noticed), but I didn't realise that my jeans had a hole there, and I ejaculated onto the seat right before class ended, and the girl who most often used that seat in the following class wore a short skirt and no underwear. She noticed upon sitting down, naturally, but didn't want to mention something of that nature in the middle of class. She simply approached me about it later. However, she never got pregnant. We weren't even worried actually. Sperm can't really swim upwards.

[edit] Cremated Einstein

If Albert Einstein was cremated, how did scientists recover and examine his brain? Jamesino 22:27, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

They took it out before they put him in the oven? --Kurt Shaped Box 22:32, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Its relatively simple. They went back in time and removed it before he was cremated 8-)--Light current 22:34, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
So, did they Save Hitler's Brain or not? --Kurt Shaped Box 22:35, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
after albert died, people were so fascinated by his brain they took it out to have a look at it, to begin with it it seemed like any other brain - grey,wrinkly and about average size, but in 1996 scientest decided that one part of it was actually a bit bigger than normal, but the way Albert used it to solve the mysteries of the Universe was as mysterious as ever--RedStaR 22:44, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Hitler had a brain? Clarityfiend 22:38, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Yeah, they put it in a jar, kept it alive and took it to Argentina. It secretly controls the world using powerful computers. --Kurt Shaped Box 22:42, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
That would explain so many things... Clarityfiend 03:29, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

Why do responses become off-topic so quickly? Jamesino 22:40, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Because some people like to be orthogonal--Light current 22:53, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Geez, what a bunch of squares.....
Geez, you coulda just done a search for "Einstein's brain" and come up with 7,800,200 hits. There's even Albert Einstein's brain. Clarityfiend 01:08, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Or cubes, or hypercubes etc!--Light current 01:18, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Whatever they are, they're right.
Hehe. "Easy, children. Calm down! There's enough dimensions for everyone!" :-) —Bromskloss 12:33, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
  • If you want a reliable answer to the question, you'd first need proof he was cremated and that his brain was removed. I didn't check the article. But either could be an urban myth. Did you check snopes.com? = Mgm|(talk) 08:05, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
    • Or you could read a referenced, featured article on Wikipidia: Albert Einstein. Rmhermen 19:10, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Hey! Pay attention! We have a whole article devoted exclusively to Albert Einstein's brain. Sheesh. Clarityfiend 22:57, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Rugby Warm-up

Which prominent rugby nation who wears balck uniforms have a warm-up ritual consisting of shouting, screaming and at the end, slapping their own forearms? Jamesino 22:45, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Crab people ? --RedStaR 22:49, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

The All Blacks (New Zealand?)--Light current 22:50, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

(edit con) The all blacks, the screaming and slapping is the Haka (specifically Ka Mate), a traditional maori war dance. Philc TECI 22:53, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
It's based on the macarena.  sʟυмɢυм • т • c  23:36, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
Samoa, Fiji and Tonga also have a war dance. These a bit of information here:[[2]] --Auximines 19:49, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Shortest

Whats the shortest time between a question being asked on the ref desks and it being answered properly?

The questions are never answered 'properly'. --Zeizmic 22:58, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

OK pseudo properly!--Light current 01:40, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

A few seconds for a simple question like this :) Well.. if I had seen this the moment it was posted maybe --frothT C 03:28, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

Sometimes a question is answered even before it is posed.  --LambiamTalk 04:33, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
Yeh but thats because people are asking the question after it has been answered leading to apparent ngative time sequence 8-)--Light current 11:50, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Canadian Pizza

What is the best pizza in London, Ontario, Canada? Mario's used to be on Carling street and had the best pizza. You could order a large deluxe pizza or specify your toppings. Mario's closed down and I cannot find a pizza as good anywhere in London. Where did the Mario's cooks go? How can I find a basic deluxe pizza that is served with oil sizzling on the top?

Thats not oil sizzling, its fat (from the cheese) Happy heart attack!--Light current 01:42, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
I recommend you re-ask this question on the Chowhound message boards; it's a group of people devoted to great eating, whether it be the best sushi, the hottest foodie hangout or, as you want, a place to get greasy pizza. Specifically, check on the Ontario board. --ByeByeBaby 03:31, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
You could track down the large number of Londoners here (like me!) and ask them - although personally I prefer big heartless chain stores like Pizza Pizza, so I am no help here (but try asking User:Hamster Sandwich or User:Barry Wells, they are much more hip than me). Adam Bishop 16:33, 28 September 2006 (UTC)